Does the Addition of Manual Therapy Approach to a Cervical Exercise Program Improve Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Chronic Neck Pain in Short- and Mid-Term? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz, Miguel Malo-Urriés, Jaime Corral- de-Toro, Carlos López- de-Celis, María Orosia Lucha-López, José Miguel Tricás-Moreno, Ana I Lorente and César Hidalgo-García
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Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08195 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
Miguel Malo-Urriés: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Jaime Corral- de-Toro: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Carlos López- de-Celis: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08195 Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
María Orosia Lucha-López: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
José Miguel Tricás-Moreno: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Ana I Lorente: Impact Laboratory, Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
César Hidalgo-García: Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: Chronic neck pain is one of today’s most prevalent pathologies. The International Classification of Diseases categorizes four subgroups based on patients’ associated symptoms. However, this classification does not encompass upper cervical spine dysfunction. The aim is to compare the short- and mid-term effectiveness of adding a manual therapy approach to a cervical exercise protocol in patients with chronic neck pain and upper cervical spine dysfunction. Fifty-eight subjects with chronic neck pain and upper cervical spine dysfunction were recruited (29 = Manual therapy + Exercise; 29 = Exercise). Each group received four 20-min sessions, one per week during four consecutive weeks, and a home exercise regime. Upper flexion and flexion-rotation test range of motion, neck disability index, craniocervical flexion test, visual analogue scale, pressure pain threshold, global rating of change scale, and adherence to self-treatment were assessed at the beginning, end of the intervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. The Manual therapy + Exercise group statistically improved short- and medium-term in all variables compared to the Exercise group. Four 20-min sessions of Manual therapy + Exercise along with a home-exercise program is more effective in the short- to mid-term than an exercise protocol and a home-exercise program for patients with chronic neck pain and upper cervical dysfunction.

Keywords: upper cervical spine; manual therapy; training; neck pain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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